1. Saying goodbye
I felt a rain-drop land on my cheek and heard the clicking of umbrella's opening. I tilted my head back allowing the rain to wash my tears away. I felt a hand softly rest on my shoulder and a voice say: "It's time to go."
I didn't want to go. I wasn't ready to leave my husband. All I could think of is him lying there in a box, cold and alone.
As I heard the shovel picking up dirt and letting it fall onto the solid oak, I felt my heart tear even more. The sound echoed my heartbeat. Gradually it became lighter then stopped; it was then I knew they had buried my heart.
I brought my head back up to look at the pile of dirt. My eyes filled with tears and everything around seemed black and gray. My entire body was trembling, I fell to my knees.
"Why did you have to leave me" I sobbed
"Shan" a male voice said softly, I turned slowly, it was
Chase Grimshaw; my husband Matte's best friend since they were young.
"It’s time to go"
He bent over sheltering me with his umbrella. I pulled myself up and walked with him to the car.
Looking back at the pile of dirt I whispered softly, "I love you forever".
We arrived at my mother in-laws: Dorothy Windsor; a woman who had made it her mission to make my life a misery for stealing her only son. She always said he was way out of my league and made sure I knew that every day. Unfortunately for me, I was on the top of her hate list.
His parents have been divorced since Matte was ten: Stephen Windsor, his father was totally different to Dorothy. He always made me welcome. He saw the love Matte and I had for each other and how happy our relationship was. He always said; a happy man at home is a happy man at work, which worked well for him as Matte worked with him.
Matte was a partner at his dad's swanky law firm. I was a struggling artist. I always imagined the day would come when somebody would notice my work. My life and soul was in my art and Matte understood that and supported me in my passion. We met at an art gallery it was love at first sight, soul mates.
I walked through into the dining room. Everything was spotless, even the floor was clean enough to eat your dinner off. The house was filled with beautifully designed furniture, and matching decor. Dorothy was well known for her flamboyance. I stood looking around for someone I recognized but I didn't know anyone. Where the hell did these people come from? They must be his mother's friends who I never met. As I glared around the room Dorothy came behind me.
"Maybe you should go clean yourself up before introducing yourself to anyone" she said in a disapproving tone looking at me from head to toe,
"I will" I replied, I really didn't want confrontation today, I was too weak to fight his mother and she was grieving just as much as I was. I tried to avoid eye contact on the way to the rest room; I must have looked a state! And I wasn't in the mood for conversation. As I approached the bathroom door I was pushed through by two hands on my waist I looked round sharply
"Jenny" I screeched hugging her very tight.
Jenny had been backpacking through Europe for a year now and was due home next month.
"Look at you, you're a mess" she said wiping the smudged mascara from under my eyes,
I looked in the mirror. She was right. My hair was wavy from the rain and my satin black shirt was drenched and pinned to my skin. I put my shirt on the heated towel rail while I scrunched my hair and tried to make myself look presentable.
